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Thread: Sandstorm..

  1. #1
    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Default Sandstorm..

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    Do not know if the IQ is worth of BNP...
    Sandstorm was approaching,this bull waited until the last moment before he turned and ran.
    Would love critique and suggestions.


    Nikon D3S 600f4
    ISO 500?
    F5,6 1/6400
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    Lifetime Member Rachel Hollander's Avatar
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    Hi Andre - it's a dramatic image nicely depicting the sometimes harsh environment. Nice running pose and I like the tones too. The gemsbok seems a bit smooth did you perhaps apply NR to the entire image? There's also a slight halo along parts of the gemsbok.

    TFS,
    Rachel

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    Forum Participant edwardselfe's Avatar
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    Very nice image. It's clear that he's on the run from the approaching storm and that he's just taken flight. It was clearly pretty harsh light at the time, but you handled that pretty well. I wonder if some of the harshness of the light might be lessened by slightly warming the image up a bit. Making the yellows more golden might be nice.....? Just an idea.
    Ed

  4. #4
    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Thank you Rachel and Edward for taking the time to comment. Edward, the light was very harsh, these sandstorms occur only over the heat of the day, did apply a warming filter @ 19% to BG only, can't remember, but think I didn't preserve luminosity to make it more darker to combat the harshness.
    Rachel, did not do NR on complete image, normally create mask for subject, inverse selection and then use blur tool at different strengths to blur and to NR more precisely. Did use Dodge tool right at end to lift shadows on his shoulder area, that may have caused it to look smooth. When I create a mask I take precaution to use only a soft brush and not to go completely to edge, exactly not to create halo. Any suggestions?
    Thanks again.
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

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    BPN Member Morkel Erasmus's Avatar
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    Nice dramatic moment, Andre. I too noticed the smoothness of the gemsbok but having shot in harsher light in the Kalahari I would ascribe that to the effect of heat haze to your overall image sharpness and clarity (since you did no NR on the animal). I mostly avoid shooting at midday there because of this - though I would have snapped this scene too!

    I wonder if a moody monochrome would work here? Perhaps I will find time to play around tonight...
    Morkel Erasmus

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    Agree with Morkel...also needs rotation... wud work well as B&W

  7. #7
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    Do not know if the IQ is worth of BNP...
    Andre, it's not always about IQ, although most of the time it does play a big part, however with this for me it's about the scene and what is conveyed within it!

    I would also agree with Morkel, plus although there a re a few blown highlights, unavoidable, I might just look to adjusting the RH slider in Levels to around 232, see what you think. In addition there is a lot of halo around the subject, easily address. Overall a very nice image Andre.

    TFS
    Steve
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Andre Pretorius's Avatar
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    Removed Halo, Levels 232
    Regards

    Andre.

    www.gappimages.com

  9. #9
    Wildlife Moderator Steve Kaluski's Avatar
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    OK, but what do you think, has Levels adjustment helped, better, worse, what improvements do you think it has made? Andre, I, like everyone here make suggestions, it's for you to decide.
    Post Production: It’s ALL about what you do with the tools and not, which brand of tool you use.

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